Tag Archives: Heisenberg

Breaking Bad “Ozymandias” Review (5×14)

16 Sep

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“You’re the smartest person I know, and you don’t even see…he made up his mind 10 minutes ago.”

In one of Hank Schrader’s final lines, he perfectly sums up the character of Walter White. Walt’s flaw has always been his stubbornness, refusing to let go of his family or his money. All throughout this episode, he’s continuing to use the “family excuse” to the point of desperation, even sacrificing his money to try and save Hank. Alas, his plan fails. Hank goes down with a censored f-word, and Walt drops to his knees and falls over, shocked and dismayed. Cranston does wonderful work here, bringing his character through a full range of emotions that culminate in a seething, terrifying look of hatred toward Jesse.

Of course, Todd “saves” Jesse, deciding to use him as a meth-cooking teacher. He imprisons him, attaching him like a dog to a leash and putting up a photo of Andrea and Brock. Todd’s a psychopath, but he craves approval; he’s sucking up to Walt and trying to impress Lydia, and he’s not motivated by greed like the rest of Uncle Jack’s crew. It’s all a heartbreaking sequence of events, and it reflects how with Jesse, there’s no going back for Walt.

However, that doesn’t stop Walt from trying to bring Skyler and Walt Jr. to his side. It’s a doomed plan, though. Skyler and Marie have already told Flynn about his father’s criminal activities, and he’s at a breaking point. When Walt goes to the house to whisk them away, everything explodes in a wrenching, tragic scene in which Skyler pulls a knife on him and Walt Jr. calls the police. Walt snatches up Holly and leaves Skyler in the dust, but later, as he’s changing Holly, he hears one word that strikes him to his core: “Momma.”

This is what truly beats Heisenberg. Much like Walt only can focus on one thing at a time, he can only give up one at a time. Last week, he realized that Hank and Gomez had him beat. However, this week is when his true family has beaten him. He realizes that he has nowhere to go, but he has to go somewhere. Walt calling Skyler at the end is absolutely wonderful to watch. Gunn and Cranston play that scene beautifully. Walt’s not a stupid guy, even though he’s making stupid decisions, so he definitely knows the police are there. It’s one final, heartbreaking act for Walter White. He’s lost his money, and he didn’t get anything out of it. He’s had both his real family and his imagined family turn on him, and he finally breaks down, sacrificing all he has left for what’s left of it. At heart, he’s always been that kind of guy. Yet, he’s able to throw in a “You stupid bitch” as well, something he also really wants to believe in. It’s both a despicable and decent act, exemplifying why he’s been alone for so long. Now, he finally realizes it.

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We’re heading into the next episode with Walt on the run, one barrel of cash left from his now ruined empire. It’s fitting that he ends up this way, and it seems inevitable where his arc will take him. Still, the show can surprised us, and no matter what happens, Walter White will remain alone.

Grade: A

Other thoughts:

-Rian Johnson is amazing. The way he films the opening half hour is better than his “Fly” direction. The fade ins and fade outs are a thing of beauty.

-Hank has joined Mike in the “going out with a censored f-word” club.

-Marie goes from confident to broken in a matter of seconds. What a devastating performance by Betsy Brandt.

-The last shot is fittingly a rabid dog, crossing the street after Walt drives through. Walt’s leaving behind a crazy wave of destruction.

-The tension in this episode is off the charts. It’s like “Crawl Space” stretched out into 45 minutes.

-Walt rolling the barrel through the desert is a great shot.

-“HANK. HIS NAME IS HANK.”

-Walt twists the knife with his confession to Jesse about Jane. It’s an act of desperation and malice, and it’s hard to root for Walt after that.

-“If you knew about it, then you’re just as bad as him.” Amen, Walt Jr.

-It’s fitting how Hank is buried in a ditch dug for Walt’s money.

-Gomez didn’t even get to die on camera! RIP, buddy.

-I’m so excited for the final two episodes.

Credit to AMC and Breaking Bad for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Breaking Bad “Rabid Dog” Review (5×12)

2 Sep

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“Deep down, he really loves me.”

This is a facetious line said in passing by Saul Goodman, but it is extremely interesting in the context of the other characters. For example, does Walt really care about Jesse? Deep down, do the experiences they’ve shared transcend the suffocating nature of Walt’s current situation? There’s no question that Walt has looked at Jesse as a son, but does he still? That’s something to be debated upon, but I’d argue that it isn’t until he picks up that phone, and the end credits roll, that he truly turns on Jesse. He’s been heading down a path in which his paternal feelings have become feelings of necessity, as his whole family’s been turning on him.

As for Jesse, all throughout this process, his mind is telling him that Walt doesn’t care at all. Walt’s burrowed deep into his brain, filling him with fear and paranoia. He doesn’t look at Heisenberg as a father figure, but he looks up at him; he believes that Walt’s the devil, capable of anything and everything. This is exactly what’s gnawing at his mind as he walks through that plaza, in a scene reminiscent of “Half Measures”: the same angle, the same expression on his face, and the same feeling of “This is the longest walk ever.” Everyone around him is appearing and disappearing, reflecting those “godlike” qualities he’s so afraid of. Then, he’s able to fixate his attention on one person, causing him to completely change his mind and threaten Walt over the phone. Sure, that creepy guy standing there in the plaza is a plot contrivance designed to increase tension, but it works because it gives Jesse a new direction to take.

Let’s back up a bit, though. The set up for that final sequence is extremely interesting; it’s full of conversation, but those conversations shake up the character dynamics. First, we see Walt trying to explain to Skyler and Walt Jr. why exactly gasoline is all over the floor. Then, we see Walt and Flynn bonding by the pool, and later, we see Walt continuing to avoid telling Skyler the truth. Heisenberg’s always been a cold, calculating man, capable of creating an elaborate plan months in advance. However, when he’s confronted by Flynn and Skyler in this episode, he’s shocked. He’s flustered. He’s confused as to why his lies aren’t being lapped up. He’s starting to crack. It’s chilling, though, that in the same episode that Skyler puts off confronting Walt because of the presence of Walt Jr., the father and the son get closer than ever before.

Then, we have Hank. He’s become embroiled in his quest, and he’s entirely willing to bring Jesse down if that means nabbing Heisenberg (ironic, isn’t it, how only Walt seems to care about Jesse in this episode?). His way of responding to Walt’s “confession” is to acquire a confession of his own. However, Jesse’s the voice of reason here. He has no legitimate proof of Walt’s criminal activities, and his full and honest confession has less of an effect than Walt’s “manipulating the truth” confession. We see two different men in these videos; Jesse’s slouched and mumbling, but Walt’s staring straight into the camera, exuding power and confidence.

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So, that brings us back to Jesse’s final decision. We don’t know what it will be. Perhaps he’ll claim to be Heisenberg, or perhaps he’ll move to Alaska and build a snow fort. One thing is for sure, though: Walter White cannot be a part of him any longer.

Grade: B+

Other thoughts:

-The episode is “Rabid Dog”, drawing comparisons to Season 4’s “Problem Dog.” It was an episode in which Jesse had to explain why he killed Gale, and this episode serves as a complete shift from that, as Jesse’s now the one being treated like a dog. Who is the dog? Jesse could be, but it can just as easily be Hank.

-“Okay, but, say, you know, just for the sake of argument, the kid’s not in the mood for a nuanced discussion of the virtues of child poisoning…”    Oh, Saul. You’re amazing.

-The shot of Jesse out cold in Hank’s bed is a powerful image. He’s lost, beaten down, and emotionally drained.

-Of course, he wakes up to a picture of Walt as Santa. His reaction to that is golden.

-When Jesse’s phone went off, I thought that we were going to get a montage of Marie making lasagna. Maybe next week.

-Marie goes to therapy, and we see more purple stuff.

-The directing of the show always impresses me, and Breaking Bad directors in particular are brilliant at “hallway shots.” The framing, the pull backs, and the zooms are pitch perfect, and I’d like to point out the scene after Jesse wakes up. He’s at one end of the hallway, and Marie’s at the other end. It’s a wonderful shot.

-The B+ doesn’t mean the episode is bad, but I think it does move a bit slow. However, that’s what piece-setting episodes do, and while the episode is less compelling than the last three, it sets up for what should be an explosive episode 5.

Credit to AMC and Breaking Bad for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Breaking Bad “Confessions” Review (5×11)

26 Aug

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“Why don’t you just kill yourself, Walt?”

Walter White is a despicable person. He’s cheated, lied, and manipulated his way to the top, and in order to keep his position, he has to do so to a greater extent. In fact, he’s not just lying now; he’s manipulating the truth. In the wonderfully directed confession scene, some of what he says is actually what has transpired. However, it’s also an absolutely brilliant act of fiction. It’s the only way to get Hank to back down, and we feel the wrenching effects of the message in Dean Norris’ face. Strangely fitting, isn’t it, that Walt exudes the most power through a TV screen? He’s become a caricature of himself, the Heisenberg persona permeating every single aspect of his life. The dinner scene beforehand shows us, however, that Hank will never forgive Walter. Unlike last week, he pushes Skyler away right off the bat. He’s only hell-bent on taking Walt down, but he has one flaw: he’s smart.

It’s a strange thing to say, I know, but consider Walt’s personality for a second. He’s cold, calculating, and manipulative in ways that Hank has never anticipated. In fact, he was able to outsmart Gus Fring, the previous cold, calculating, and manipulative mastermind. He should be able to outsmart Hank, and he does. Now, what Walt doesn’t expect, though, is unpredictability. This comes in the form of Jesse Pinkman. He has no friends, no family, and no restraints, and it’s a dangerous situation for Walt because Jesse just doesn’t care. Walt realizes this, though, but he deals with it in the same manner he would for someone like Skyler. He hugs Jesse, trying to strengthen that father-son bond he wants to believe is still existent, much like he hugged Skyler back in “Live Free or Die.” However, Jesse breaks down because he just can’t take it anymore; we can see he wants to acquiesce to Walt, but it’s much too difficult.

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Then comes the explosion. All that pent-up anger, fear, and sadness manifests itself in a beautiful, yet frightening, sequence of events in which Jesse beats up and threatens Saul, realizes Walt’s role in the ricin poisoning, and rushes to Walt’s house to douse it in gasoline. It’s an abrupt ending, but that’s kind of the point.

Grade: A

Other thoughts:

-The cold open is interesting to analyze. We have Todd exaggerating the details of the train robbery, then leaving a message for Walt. I find it interesting how in the same episode Jesse completely turns on Walt, Todd’s still sucking up to him. He’s like the former Jesse.

-I also liked the tarantula that appears later on, especially given that Todd leaves the murder part out of his story.

-I loved the shot of Walt racing to the car wash all in a panic, then composing himself outside of the door. It’s, once again, some great direction by the crew.

-Walt and Flynn’s scene is, once again, a prime example of Walt continuing to use his family to hold over Hank and Marie’s heads. Of course, the dinner scene reflects the failure of that plan.

-The dinner scene is wonderful. I love the juxtaposition of the cheery exterior, complete with Trent and his guacamole-making ways, with the tension at the table. It’s a fantastically-acted scene.

-Saul just standing in the background of Jesse and Walt’s desert scene was amazing.

-The episode really made me nervous for the characters. I’d imagine the next few episodes will once again have that “anyone can go down” mentality. It’s going to be a ride.

-I hope Walt Jr. wasn’t home at the end.

Credit to AMC and Breaking Bad for all pictures. I own nothing.

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